COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Dept. of Environmental Protection Commonwealth News Bureau Room 308, Main Capitol Building Harrisburg PA., 17120
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEHARRISBURG -- The Department of Environmental Protection has fined two companies, Avian & Feline Hospital of Camp Hill, Cumberland County, and Bowser Dentistry LLC of York, York County, for violations of the Radiation Protection Act.
“The Radiation Protection Act authorizes DEP to monitor X-ray equipment operation and ensure that correct procedures are followed,” DEP South-central Regional Director Rachel Diamond said. “These regulations exist to protect the safety of Pennsylvania’s residents. Fortunately, there is no indication that these particular violations caused any harm to human or animal health.”
DEP fined Avian & Feline Hospital $10,000 after two inspections revealed a multitude of violations. During a March 2011 inspection, DEP discovered the hospital was using tape to fix the controls that restrict the width of the X-ray beam on a portable unit, using the same settings on the X-ray machine for all small animals and had failed to register an X-ray machine. DEP issued a notice of violation that month. A second inspection last June showed the hospital had still not registered an X-ray machine, and the alignment and settings of the portable X-ray machine were still improperly set.
DEP also fined Bowser Dentistry $12,840 for failure to register X-ray machines that were used to evaluate dental patients from 1992 through 2010. DEP issued a notice of violation to the dentist in September 2011. By not registering the X-ray machines with DEP, the facility remained un-inspected during those eight years.
The hospital and dentist took action to correct the violations and both facilities are now in compliance with DEP regulations.
X-ray machines must be registered with DEP within 30 days of being acquired and the X-ray registration becomes valid upon the payment of a fee, which must be paid to the agency annually. For more information, visit www.dep.state.pa.us or call 717-705-4700.
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